Berlin Forum on Global Cooperation 2026

Partnerships for a Joint Transition

As a result of the war on Iran, the strait of Hormuz has been de facto closed. About 20-30 percent of global oil supply and 20-25 percent of global seaborne gas supply is interrupted - the “largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market” (IEA).

Already before the war, energy has become a fiercely contested global arena. US president Donald Trump has made “American energy dominance” his foremost goal. Under his leadership, the United States doubles down on fossil fuels and uses its huge political and economic leverage to force more countries to buy US oil and gas. It tries to thwart progress on clean energies, torpedoes international agreements and pressures international development finance institutions to resume financing of fossil fuels.  

China in contrast achieved technological leadership on clean technologies, first slowly, then suddenly. While still sending mixed signals on decarbonization, the country seized a window of opportunity: Chinese companies built massive production capacities which drastically reduced the costs of clean technologies ushering an “electrotech revolution” not only domestically, but also internationally. 

Europe is now challenged to defend its domestic industry and reaffirm its emphasis on renewable energies and energy efficiency in both its domestic energy strategy and its international relations. Not fossil dominance, but sustainable energy cooperation is the stated goal of numerous bilateral and plurilateral partnerships like the high profile Just Energy Transitions Partnerships. How Europe responds to the challenge will be decisive.

Governments across Africa, Asia and Latin America are shaping their energy choices balancing energy access, industrial development and energy security. The direction they take will influence decisively the achievement of global climate targets. How do Southern countries navigate the competing pressures while maximising development benefits ensuring local value creation and generating jobs? How might Europe engage with their priorities? And what role could transformative partnerships for mutual benefit between Global South countries and Europe play? 

How these questions will be answered will determine our common future. More than ever, energy remains a contested terrain. On this backdrop, the Berlin Forum on Global Cooperation 2026 will debate the tensions over energy strategies and the cooperative partnerships needed to ensure a prosperous future.

Cooperation: 
With The Centre for Rural Development (SLE) at the Humboldt University of Berlin.

Information: 
Elena Gnant
Globalisation and Transformation Unit
E gnant@BOELL.de

Programme: 

18 May 2026 Opening Event 

17:30 - Opening

• Layla al-Zubaidi, Heinrich Böll Foundation
• Markus Hanisch, Director SLE at Humboldt University

17:40 - Presentation: The Electrotech Revolution 

• Richard Black, Director of Policy and Strategy Ember

  followed by a conversation about the geopolitics of the electrotech revolution, consequences for Europe and Germany

• Jürgen Trittin, former Minister of Environment, Germany
• Richard Black, Director of Policy and Strategy Ember
• Moderation: Qing Wang, Journalist and Podcaster from China

19:00 - Reception

19 May 2026

09:00 - Welcome Day 2

• Jörg Haas, Heinrich Böll Foundation
• Markus Hanisch, Director SLE at Humboldt University

09:20 - Keynotes: Sustainable energy cooperation vs. fossil energy dominance

• Gabriel Boric, former President of Chile
• Jennifer Morgan, Senior Fellow Tufts University and Hertie School, former State Secretary and Climate Envoy, Germany

10:30 - Coffee Break + Snack

11:00 - Fishbowl: Germany’s energy cooperation with the Global South: Countering fossil dominance?

• Bärbel Kofler, Parliamentary State Secretary, BMZ
• Sven Giegold, Deputy Federal Chair of the Alliance 90/The Greens party Germany
• Olumide Abimbola, Executive Director Africa Policy Research Institute (APRI)
• Adriana Abdenur, Co-President Global Fund for a New Economy, Former Special Advisor, Presidency of Brazil - International Affairs
• Moderation: Celia Schmidt, Facilitation and process support for sustainable development

12:30 - Lunch Break Buffet & Networking (Market of Opportunities) 

14:00 - Deep Dives: Four Deep Dives into aspects of Germany's North-South cooperation in the economic transformation

1. Towards a Just Hydrogen Transition? Germany, Green Steel, and Energy Cooperation
2. Mapping the Resource Race: Critical Minerals, Critical Choices. Pathways beyond Dependency
3. Who powers the future? Cooperations in a multipolar world order
4. Europe and China in the Global South: Cooperation, Complementarity or Competition in Global Zero-Carbon Development?

16:00 - Coffee break

16:30 - Closing Discussion: About the interface of war, geopolitics, energy and gender 

• Adriana Abdenur, Co-President Global Fund for a New Economy, Former Special Advisor, Presidency of Brazil - International Affairs
• Jennifer Morgan, Senior Fellow Tufts University and Hertie School, former State Secretary and Climate Envoy, Germany
• Moderation: tba

17:30 - Wrap up and word of thanks (Jörg Haas & Markus Hanisch)

17:45 - Networking

19:00 - End

» Participation on site
at the the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Conference Center, Schumannstr. 8, 10117 Berlin

Please register in advance. Unfortunately, the number of seats for this event are limited. If we are at capacity, the conversation will be transmitted via video to other rooms.

» Livestream
Alternatively, you can follow the event via the livestream without registering.

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